Goodbye, ESPN 97.3 The Zone; hello, Hula 97.3 FM!

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Who knew that when Summit Media pulled the plug on sport-talker ESPN 97.3 The Zone today that the station's owners would replace it with an all-Hawaiian music station?

Raise your hand if you were the first.

Soon after The Zone breathed its last breath today, Summit Media began broadcasting Hawaiian music on what it's calling Hula 97.3 FM, which, the promos say, is "fresh, just like the flowers in your lei."

This is no doubt a promotional gimmick until Summit settles on a new format for the 97.3 FM signal. Stations have been known to play all Christmas music during such transitions, and one Birmingham station temporarily aired what it called "Radio Bob."

ESPN 97.3 The Zone had lobbied heavily to get Birmingham sports-talk host Paul Finebaum on its station, and when those efforts failed, DuBose decided to fold the station.

The station signed off today by playing The Doors' "End," which was later followed by audio from Auburn's 2010 BCS Championship win over Oregon, and Journey's "Don't Stop Believing," which was followed by audio from Alabama's miraculous come-from-behind win over LSU last year.

It ended with music some dialogue from "The Sopranos," which was interrupted by about 10 seconds of silence before the station started playing Hawaiian music.